Camel, uh, Campbell University

In the last week of September, the WannaBeatles had two shows: one Thursday in North Carolina, the other one Friday in South Carolina. Each gig had its own atmosphere, purpose, and collection of photos, which make a good reason to divide the adventure into two separate blogs.

The first destination was Campbell University, in Lillington, NC, near the middle of the state, which meant nearly nine hours of driving. That meant that Wednesday September 28 was our travel day. 

We met at Nathan’s house, our usual gathering spot, at 10:00 am, to load the trailer.

This time the U-Haul trailer said Coos Bay, which I noticed is in Oregon, which happens to be where my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters live. A long way, but a good reminder of the connection.

Heading east on I-40, we decided to stop at a mall near Knoxville to try the food court, an upgrade from the usual quick stop at MacDonald’s. 

Nathan selecting lunch items

Dennis and Nathan sitting at lunch

Dennis getting popcorn after lunch

Chipotle was a very satisfying alternative.

Our destination was a hotel in Lillington, N.C. Continuing east into N.C., we drove past Asheville, Hickory, Statesville, Winston-Salem, before leaving the interstate to head south on a smaller state road. 

By this time, it had started raining, and the weather report was full of tornado warnings. But we made it to Lillington without too much delay, in time to visit a sports bar next door for supper. 

Nathan and David at table, Guiness in foreground

This evening - Wednesday Sept. 28 - happened to be the time when WannaBeatle David’s son Wesley would be making his prime time debut as a television actor. 

For those who keep up with WannaBeatle business, Wesley Toledo (and excellent drummer, by the way, who once sat in at age 14 with The WannaBeatles on “I Saw Her Standing There” at Puckett’s in Franklin, and did a great job) recently graduated from DePaul University in Chicago, majoring in drama. He’s signed with a local agent, and has been getting calls for various television work. 

His first time to appear on camera, as a minor character in an episode of CSI, happened to be aired while we were in a sports bar in Lillington, N.C.

And so we asked the bartender and waitress if we could change the channel on their large screen tv, so that we could watch the show, and celebrate with David this milestone in his life. 

We had already ordered our supper when the episode came on. David knew that Wesley’s appearance would come near the middle of the show. When it occurred, David got up to point at the screen.

David points at screen

David looking at screen

Wesley on screen (in a car)

It was a brief scene, but great way to celebrate a major career step for a talented young actor, to share David’s pride and excitement at his son’s accomplishment.

The next day, we checked out, then drove to the campus of Campbell University. 

The plan was to leave after the gig, and drive down to Fayetteville NC for our stay on Thursday night, so we would be closer to Friday’s destination.

Nathan unloading trailer at Fine Arts Building

Dennis on phone in band room, amidst drums

Setting up drum riser

David with school staff

Drums on riser

Bloggin’ Bryan had recently purchased custom cables to use with his guitar pedal.

Unfortunately, the new cable in the acoustic guitar coincided with a bent input jack, which caused the plug to get stuck inside the guitar.

The new cable stuck inside the Taylor

That problem got solved by replacing the pickup, a few days later at World Music Nashville, a job by our trusted friend Ed Beaver.

It was a beautiful auditorium, and the staff was very helpful.

Setting up the drum monitor

Stage ready for sound check

It was a treat to see an array of snacks in the dressing room.

Snacks on the table (before getting eaten)

We were treated to dinner in the student dining room across campus. We were transported in a large golf cart.

Riding in golf cart

And that was when we met the most amazing sight of our journey: the camel.

Meeting the camel (Dennis in front, 

Nathan and David approaching from the side.)

In front of the administration building is a large bronze camel, the school mascot. It’s a massive sculpture, strong enough for people to climb all over. 

We couldn’t resist the opportunity.

Admiring the camel

 Nathan climbing the camel

The camel’s face

Four WannaBeatles on camel

Four WannaBeatles happy

The camel was not the only statue on campus. We also encountered a noble portrayal of the founder, Dr. Campbell.

Nathan poses at statue of Dr. Campbell

Plaque with history of Dr. Campbell

We met the music professor, Dr. Ran Whitley, and his students who were so enthusiastic our show. The conversation somehow landed on boomwhackers, which are various sized hard plastic tubes, which make sounds when struck. 

The students and Dr. Whitley were so enthusiastic about them that they took me to an office where he played a recording of a concert that featured boomwhackers being played in concert, a piece he composed.

It was clear that the students enjoyed all kinds of music, and their teacher. 

After the show, we drove to our hotel in Fayetteville, and discovered that we had been classified as their “guest of the day.”

This should have prepared us for the entertainment we would find in the hotel lobby the next morning.

We woke up and came to breakfast to meet an in-house singer who called herself Shelby Sunshine. She had a purple microphone to match her purple lipstick. Her spontaneity and energy inspired us to join her. We sang together, before breakfast, a bit of James Brown, just to prove we were up for it.

Shelby Sunshine posing on counter at front desk

Shelby joined the four of us for a rousing “yeah yeah yeah” that was posted on Facebook.

That was a memorable morning in Fayetteville.

Then we left for South Carolina, for our second gig of the trip, which will be covered in the next blog.

Thanks for joining us.

-Bloggin’ Bryan 29December2016

Library 2016

On September 13, The WannaBeatles returned to the courtyard of the Nashville Library, entertaining a lunch time crowd assembled on another beautiful September day.

The fountain at the center of the courtyard

The courtyard on the upper floor of the library is a well thought out architectural treasure, a fresh oasis from downtown noise, a public space where people can sit at tables, surrounded by trees, under the open sky. 

The Library treats us well, and we love playing there.

Elaine Wood is our host, who oversees the hospitality, making sure a fine array of delicious healthy food is available in a back office, which becomes a temporary green room.

David setting up

Dennis during setup

Nathan setting up his keyboard

Thanks to photographer Ray Jones, we have a lot of photos from our show that day.

Checking vocals in our casual clothes

 Kids and moms near the fountain enjoying the sunshine

A well organized merch table with banner on display

Elyse Adler announcing our show

David gives thumbs up

Nathan rocks out on bass

Bryan and Dennis on mic, David sings harmony

Nathan makes a point

Man with a horn

Not Simon and Garfunkel, but an amazing simulation

Four guys rockin' out

David at mic

Smiles

Saying goodbye

A final farewell

Somehow, being among the trees with all the people gathered under the sunshine during a lunch hour feels like being in a French impressionist painting from the late 19th century. 

We are proud to be among the performers like Riders in the Sky who have played the courtyard. It's a delightful Nashville tradition. We can always feel the relaxed enjoyment of the crowd that gathers in that generous space for some live music on a pretty day.

Thanks Ray, for the photos, and Elaine, for hosting us and helping produce such a fun concert series.

-Bloggin' Bryan 30November2016

Jonathan and the State Fair

September 11, The WannaBeatles played the traditional Moosic Stage at the Tennessee State Fair.

Moosic stage sign

We’ve done this gig several years in a row. Several things make it famlliar: the noise, the sights, the smells - loud rides, fast food, the smell of the sheep pen, the sight of award-winning 800 pound pumpkins, along with lots of families walking around experiencing the tumultuous display. 

Another factor in this gig is the relatively long ride from where we park our cars to the Moosic Stage. That makes a ride in a golf cart, provided by Fair staff, the only way to get our gear to the stage.

Golf cart, with trailer, that hauled our gear

Dennis arriving

Dennis in discussion onstage

 David setting up

David strong

Nathan at keyboard

Monkey guitar with fried food in background

(For those who don't know, the monkey sticker was provided

to Bloggin' Bryan by his granddaughter Ella, and the recurring photos of the monkey guitar are reminders of her contribution.)

Too much sunlight for Dennis

Nathan and David, in their "Shea" shirts

This year’s State Fair gig was also a shining moment for Jonathan, our new intern. 

Jonathan being cool

Jonathan thumbs up

Jonathan is a Belmont student from Pittsburgh whom we met at the Belmont Intern Fair. He's wonderful to have around.

He’s very bright, helpful, witty, cheerful, motivated, and about as obsessive as a Beatles fan can be. We’ve discovered that he knows more about The Beatles than all four of us combined. 

Dennis says he knows the color underwear that McCartney was wearing on the Ed Sullivan show.

Fans next to stage at picnic tables

This year, our opening act was a traditional clown show, performed by local Shriners. It was very corny, classic 19th century slapstick.

Jonathan took a couple of videos of us playing and posted them on Facebook.

It was a fun night, as revealed in the photos Jonathan took at the end of the night.

Four WannaBeatles on trailer

One more shot

Jonathan told us that his father was a photographer, so he learned some tricks, such as shooting a group photo from another perspective by squatting down. 

Thanks Jonathan! We love you!

Bloggin’ Bryan 28November 2016

The Shortest Blog

Bloggin’ Bryan is ready to stake a claim for the shortest blog in this series. There’s one photo, and not a lot to say about our experience. So, here goes.

On August 29, The WannaBeatles appeared as guests on a live radio show called Geo On The Radio, which is on Radio Free Nashville, WRFN-FM 107.1, or 103.7 FM.

It’s hosted by George Adams, a music lover who devotes two hours each week to conversations with various Nashville musical personalities. He’s been doing it for years, compiling interviews with such local notables as Victor Wooten, Jonell Mosser, and Phil Keaggy.

George Adams at his WRFN studio

Radio Free Nashville operates from a house in Bellevue, located back in the woods on a remote hill, with a radio tower rising above the trees. Arriving there feels like a scene from a Jack Reacher movie, a rustic outpost far from civilization, where (one can imagine) unkempt wild eyed survivalists keep a cache of semiautomatic weapons. But in reality, it’s a peaceful if scruffy little spot, where calm music enthusiasts share a cozy studio to beam their iconoclastic messages to a small but faithful few. 

We showed up for our hour of conversation, bringing along copies of our albums, although Dennis had already sent George the CDs. It’s always good to have a backup; it’s the WannaBeatley Way. 

We learned that George had played in various bands in the Boston area back in the 70’s. That gave us a good start, as we had some common bands, people and places to recall. 

During the hour, George prompted us to tell various stories that reflected our unique identity, which coincided with specific songs that we had written and produced. One song that George picked out from our “We’re Still Rockin’” album was “Bristol Lights,” Nathan’s tribute to his small home town in Vermont. 

We were delighted to be reminded of the song. We felt blessed that we had Nathan in the group, a wonderfully talented but totally modest songwriter, and that we had recorded his song, and that it was now being played on the radio. George timed it so that the last four minutes of his show consisted of “Bristol Lights.” That meant we could leave the studio, get into our cars, tune in to 103.7, and listen to ourselves playing Nathan’s beautiful song on the radio. 

It’s a small thrill, but it’s worth appreciating, in this very unpredictable journey we’ve been traveling as musicians and songwriters in Music City. 

And as a reminder of Nashville's small town status, we met our friend Stanley Karr coming into the studio as we were leaving. Stanley was there to do the show he started recently, devoted to piano playing pop artists, so we got to listen to him on the air after we heard "Bristol Lights." Way to go, Stanley!

Did I say too much? Is it still the shortest blog?

-Bloggin’ Bryan 20November2016